Ridgewood hires building department head, human resources professional
OCTOBER 6, 2014 LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2014, 11:01 AM
BY LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
The village has a new head start on building a better building department.
The village recently filled two new positions, including a new department head. The other new hire, intended to benefit all departments, is a senior human resources professional.
In a recent email sent to staff, Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld revealed that, after commencing a building department reorganization last June, the village landed on a new director for the department, which Sonenfeld previously stated was in “need of direct management focus.”
The reorganization, Sonenfeld has said, was necessary to create a more customer-friendly atmosphere, partly by minimizing building permit wait times and related resident complaints.
When asked by The Ridgewood News, Sonenfeld said that the new HR professional will receive a $70,000 annual salary, already approved in this year’s budget. The building department head, Thomas Yotka, will be paid $105,000, she said, some of which will result after two current employees, Mike Barker and Tony Merlino, who used to help run the department, face salary cuts.
“It was viewed as so critical to get something done,” Sonenfeld said, “we figured we’d find the money.”
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/staff-reorganization-starts-1.1103363#sthash.kGsY1Qao.dpuf
Would a person who did not have a bachelors degree be hired to run a critical department and paid $105,000 a year in the private sector?
Responsible for human resources in a town with civil service employees but no experience with civil service.
Another layer of paper work ? I hope not.
Relax it’s only $105,000 a year … Where will that come from.?
From salary cuts. Barker and Merlino will now make less.
I hardly think that their cuts amount to what this new guy will be making. Also, you can also add about another 30% to any salary in terms of costs to an organization with respect to health and benefits.
Declan, that’s what the word “some” was employed.
If it costs $130k a year to not wait 6 months for a permit to upgrade electrical service to 200A (true story), then perhaps it’s money well spent.
If they pay a little more, they can hire someone smart enough to deny the permit for a 4 story municipal complex in a floodplain (rim shot).
Where is the leadership DOM?
Wake me up when she does something with the Engineering Department. That guy has the worst attitude and track record.
Just another name for a “head hunter” that is paid by placements at both ends of the job.
Watch carefully as to who gets paid ?
In the private sector, wouldn’t the two guys seeing salary cuts be gone ?
Merlino may be gone shortly. Fortunately for Barker he’s also the tax assessor.
Would be a welcome relief if Merlino goes. What a waste of 20 years salary he’s been. Got to hand it to him, though. He’s been paid might well for being an incompetent. Never had any issues with Barker. But certainly agree with earlier comment that Rutishauser is a waste of space — perhaps the bad attitude is there to cover stupidity?